The cameras of the past did not have that much clarity or depth. Even with the development of the lens which allows the user to focus in on images, this did not yet make photographers completely satisfied after a take.

Fortunately, the digital age has brought about the creation of the SLR camera. This single reflex unit allows the user to produce quality images from pressing the button till it comes out when it has been developed.

The SLR is quite expensive. One unit costs about $5,000 and upgrading the lens to reach farther will be another expense. This is probably why many advise to have this insured in case this gets lost or damaged.

Here are some of the known brands of SLR camera?s worth checking out in the market.

1. The first is the Nikon D2x digicam. Though its features are almost the same like others in the market, it comes with a GPS recorder so that the person can remember when and where it was taken so this can be done again.

The pictures can be downloaded to a laptop so the pictures can be printed or developed in the store.

2. Another great SLR camera is the Canon EOS-1DS Mark 2 Digicam. This model enables the person to shoot in any environment. This has better shots per second than the first one mentioned which is great for shooting moving objects.

3. The Kodak DCS Pro is another camera worth checking out. This lightweight model can use Nikon accessories and lenses to be able to get those shots that other units cant.

These units are just one of many that are available in the market. The price of each are not that far apart so it will really depend on how comfortable the user is. Some hobbyists have used one brand for a number of years and decided to stick to it.

In order to keep these in good condition, the owner must also know how to properly store or clean these items. The cover must always be placed on the lens when not in use and should be wiped after each use.

Some people who are not happy with the cover can use a filter which is better protection from dirt, fingerprints or crashes.

A lot of stores usually sell the SLR camera with a bag but others usually buy a bigger one to hold other equipment and accessories.

The digital SLR camera is one innovation that is here to say. Though it may hurt the pocket in getting one, the shots taken will be rewarding.

About the Author:

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on photography & other useful information, please visit http://photography.articlekeep.com

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Ben got interested in photography back in college. That time, students still had to load the camera with film and develop the pictures in the dark room.

Ten years later, things have changed. Professional and amateur photographers have shifted to digital cameras. Since Ben was slow in terms of welcoming new technology, this individual decided to do some research first to know more about it.

The bookstore will surely have a lot of books on this topic. After searching through the second shelf, there it was, publications on digital photography.

Ben noticed that most of the books were written at the turn of the century. This is because manufacturers only released a complete line of these products after Y2K.

There were publications available talking about digital photography in general but people who want to know more should get specialized ones.

The specialized ones will teach the individual how to shoot at night, how to achieve black and white color prints in the digital age, infrared photography, how to set up a digital studio and proper lighting in taking each shot.

There are pictures as well as texts so that the person can read first then apply the techniques illustrated in the book.

Famous photographers who have worked for major magazines and newspapers wrote. Be it for money or to spread the word about this art, these are really worth knowing for those who have done this as a hobby or are just starting.

Some other books will also teach the person the different kind of digital cameras that are available in the market. This proves there are pros and cons in choosing one brand over another and how the systems used are very different.

There are other sources aside from books to learn about digital photography. There are people who write articles on the Internet or have websites that have an open forum for those who enjoy this as a hobby.

The main reason why the demand for digital photography is high is because of its affordability. The individual can choose from a wide range of brands that costs less than $500 a piece. The price will be higher for the more high tech versions that professionals will need.

It is one thing to read the book and another to put it into practice. People who decided to get a digital photography book should apply everything that is written to be able to be just as good as those who have been doing for many years.

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Classics are classics because they never go out of fashion. This explains why black and white photographs are deemed classics. They still hold good against the influx of color all around them. But for many, black and white digital photography is a less-trodden, little-appreciated and much underestimated domain of photography.

But thankfully, patrons and connoisseurs apart, black and white photography has recently acquired quite a fan following courtesy the digital cameras and their Black and White mode. People have suddenly discovered the “magic” of black and white photography. The timeless appeal of black and white photographs has caught on and people have come to appreciate its stark but shipshape appearance that exudes polish and sophistication.

So if you want to join the legion of black and white photograph fans and try your hand at some serious, thought-provoking and beautiful black and white digital photography, it is worth remembering a few handy tips.

- Those who were looking for an easy way out should remember that minor alterations in the color profile of the color editor doesn’t translate into a breathtaking black and white digital photograph. The black and white setting of the camera is also by no means a one-touch means to a striking black and white snapshot. Be prepared to tinker with a few controls on your digital camera.

- Understand that a black and white photograph is actually an amalgamation of gray tones. This realization will in turn help you to grasp the basics of filters, known to bring in startling results in your black and white digital photograph.

- In your wanderings through your digital camera setup you must have come across a number of filters. Unknown to many a digital photographer, these filters can be used to produce dramatic black and white snaps. For instance, you can experiment with various filters to see how they affect a particular color in the context of a black and white setting. A red filter over the lens will make the red shades in the picture appear as light gray tones and you will end up with skies that look ominously cloudy.

- The scope of black and white digital photography is not only about portraits and landscapes. There are thousand and one things that you can express with black and white photographs. So the next time you have the digital camera in hand, focus on abstract shoots. Treat black and white digital photography, as a mode to portray the world in a different light and you will never be short on potential photography subjects.

- If you still haven’t got the hang of how to produce realistic and spectacular black and white digital photography with only the camera as your aide, you have numerous image-editing software packages to give the finishing touches. Your crude photographs will get the most amazing makeover.

Step into the wondrous world of black and white digital photography and discover the vivid colors, emotions and moods that these two colors can portray.

About the Author

Connie Fillmore is a successful writer and publisher of photography related issues, for more informative articles go to www.digitalphotographyguy.com

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Michael loved taking pictures with the camera. This person started out using the 35mm. Model first that didn?t have any accessories such as the zoom lens.

It was only after saving up enough money working at the local bar that this individual can afford to buy a camera just as good like those used by the professionals. There were not that many models anymore where the user has to reload the roll of film.

The old ways have been replaced with digital cameras where the images are saved into the memory card that can be uploaded into the computer.

Michael thought that this is great since there won?t be additional costs anymore in having film developed. Since there was a computer at home, the digital camera can be hooked up and burned to a CD or developed using the printer.

After looking around, this person decided to get the Sony digital camera. This had 8.1 pixel graphics and was friendly. Each unit came with a manual, CD and charger.

Each time a customer makes a purchase, a short tutorial is given so the person will have an idea how to use it before leaving the shop.

It was hard to remember everything the clerk said at the store. When Michael got home, the manual and the digital camera were examined to be able to know every part of this new toy.

The CD that came with the unit was installed into the computer. This gave Michael also an online tutorial of how to use the camera, how to upload and have the pictures developed in the printer.

It didn?t take long to learn everything so that the digital camera can be brought out and used to take pictures. A friend at work who bought a similar item advised Michael to get some trial shots.

Since the images can be deleted from the memory, many pictures can be taken and reviewed. Those that are good were saved in the computer, which was sometimes used as the background in the desktop.

The digital camera is easy to use. The individual can learn using the tutorial features in the CD or learn more about this by logging into the manufacturer?s website.

The innovations in these small devices change every few months rather than years. This means the pixel graphics will improve making the model bought obsolete. The individual can upgrade the digital camera or choose to buy a new one later on.

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Want to make your next set of vacation photos really stand out? It’s easy if you follow a few simple guidelines to improve the composition of your photos.

Composition is an artistic term for how the various elements visible in your digital photos are arranged. Digital photography gives us all kinds of flexibility and control over the photos we take. Then through the use of digital photo editing software like PhotoShop, we can easily improve how our digital photos look. Still our basic decisions about composition are made when we take a digital photo. Here are some tips to improve your decisions which will then improve your photos.

1. Rule of thirds - This is the most common rule for composing photos, and it can be very effective. Just imagine what you see through the viewfinder of your digital camera as divided by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal stripes into 9 sections or a 3 x 3 grid. You can use the rule of thirds by placing the focal point (most important object) in your photos right on one of those lines, instead of in the center of the photo. For example, if you’re taking a photo of a landscape with a building in the scene, place the building in the top 1/3 of the frame, and fill the bottom 2/3’s with the foreground. Or if you’re taking a photo of a sunset on the ocean, shoot the scene so that the sky fills the top 2/3’s of the frame.

2. Don’t be afraid of a close-up - Sometimes you can create a very dramatic photo simply by filling the frame with part of an object. For example, if you are attending an antique car show, go ahead and photograph all the cars. But try for some dramatic photos by taking a full-frame shot of just a hood ornament. Or if you’re photographing a historic building, try capturing a tight shot of a unique architectural detail.

3. Try different vantage points - Most of our photos show the world from about 5 1/2 to 6 feet off the ground. For a more dramatic effort, try a different angle. Try photographing that antique car from the ground looking up - sort of a dog’s eye view. If you can find something to stand on, try shooting down for a bird’s eye view.

Changing your shooting angle can make a big difference in how the same scene looks. If you’re photographing a sunset over a lake, try taking a shot from almost water level. The waves will stand out clearly against the water.

Digital photo editing software like Photoshop allows you to reframe your photos. You can crop your existing pictures to make their impact stronger by applying the rule of thirds after the fact. You can also select a small detail in your larger photos to crop so that it fills the entire frame. However, digital photo editing software cannot help you much when it comes to camera angle. So when you take your next set of photos, remember the dog and the bird. Let your imagination run free, and you can separate your photos from the ordinary.

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Are your digital photos always turning out blurry? There may be a digital photography technique that will have you shooting clearer photos in no time.

Using the LCD Screen When Shooting. Many times new digital photographers will opt to use their camera?s LCD screen to set up their shots instead of the view finder. Often times this has the photographer holding the camera away at arms length while taking their pictures. This practice is inviting blurry pictures as your arm and camera are not steadied for the picture. A small jerk of the arm or shaky hands will turn your picture into a blurry mess. A better digital photography technique is to use the view finder and steady the camera with both hands before shooting.

Taking Pictures too Quickly. Because digital camera remove the worry of wasting film most photographers end up snapping photos left and right without taking the time to stop and think about the shot. Snapping pictures ?as you go? often results in blurry pictures so stop, line up your shot, and shoot while perfectly still.

Rushing the Auto Focus. Many times when taking a picture a person will simply point the camera and push the button down fully to snap the picture. Instead, try this digital photography technique?once you are ready to take the picture, you should push the button down only half way and allow the auto focus to do its job. Once the camera has properly focused on the subject you are photographing you may then push the button down the rest of the way. This should help fix blurry pictures.

Not Allowing for Shutter Lag. Many digital cameras, and especially the less expensive ones, may take up to a full half second to finish taking the photo after you have shot the picture. This time can increase if you have chosen to push the button down fully the first time and not allowed the auto focus a chance to engage. Avoid this mistake by holding still and waiting a full one to two seconds after shooting the picture before moving. This will account for any shutter lag and allow the picture to be fully taken before the camera is moved.

Too Much Zoon or the Wrong Mode. Using the zoom feature of your camera will enhance the effects of the ?shaking hand? syndrome. It?s best to only use zoom when you cannot physically get closer to the subject yourself. Another digital photography technique to avoiding blurry images is using the correct camera mode when shooting. Action shots require a faster shutter speed than stationary shots. Be sure to read your camera?s manual on choosing different shooting modes and don?t be afraid to experiment shooting in different modes for the same picture. Practice will have you choosing the correct modes more and more and avoid blurry pictures.

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DISADVANTAGES OF BECOMING A DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER

If you have been a ‘film photographer’, the first and biggest disadvantage is the cost of new cameras, at least. If you are already computer literate, and have a good computer with some kind of imaging software, good. But if not…well, I sorry for you, eh! Add all that expense, too. And if you’ve been a medium format photographer as I was, you’re not only going to need new cameras, but new lenses, too! With computers and imaging software, even without printers, you have a large investment to look at.

On the up side of that startup expense is all the money you’re now going to save by not having to buy film and pay for processing and proofs.

There is the time element that comes with a “digital workflow”. You, or someone is going to have to upload your images to your computer to edit. Then color correct, retouch, and anything else you want done to your images. And especially at first, it is quite time consuming as you follow your learning curve.

In my humble opinion, these are the only aspects of digital photography that can be called disadvantages. And then there’s the argument that “Digital has taken away business from professional photographers”.

The argument goes that it is now so easy to take your own photographs, for whatever purpose and at such low cost, that companies are taking their own photographs for their advertising needs, and people are taking their own, or their friends family photos. And that this is taking business away from professionals.

There really can be no argument against the truth of this statement. It is easy to take pictures. And, really, it always has been since the invention of the “instamatic camera”! Anybody can aim and push the shutter release button. And that will make a picture. It’s been that easy with film cameras since the 1960s. So, what’s the difference now?

I don’t know this for certain, but I bet that when automatic film cameras first came out, there was a small dip in business for a variety of pro photographers. Why? Because it was so easy now for anybody to take a picture! And I’m equally sure that some people who got a camera actually got good at making photographs.

In reality, though, if you want professional quality photography, you need to have the photography done professionally! There’s a lot more to it than point and shoot. And I believe that eventually the novelty of ‘easy’ digital photography will wear off, and the more educated and critical people will take their photography jobs to professionals.

About the author: Stan P. Cox II runs a Portrait and Commercial photography studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has been a professional Hawaii photographer for 31 years. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

About the Author

About the author: Stan P. Cox II runs a Portrait and Commercial photography studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has been a professional Hawaii photographer for 31 years. His web address is: http://www.ParamountPhotography.com.

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Want to make your next set of vacation photos really stand out? It’s easy if you follow a few simple guidelines to improve the composition of your photos.

Composition is an artistic term for how the various elements visible in your digital photos are arranged. Digital photography gives us all kinds of flexibility and control over the photos we take. Then through the use of digital photo editing software like PhotoShop, we can easily improve how our digital photos look. Still our basic decisions about composition are made when we take a digital photo. Here are some tips to improve your decisions which will then improve your photos.

1. Rule of thirds - This is the most common rule for composing photos, and it can be very effective. Just imagine what you see through the viewfinder of your digital camera as divided by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal stripes into 9 sections or a 3 x 3 grid. You can use the rule of thirds by placing the focal point (most important object) in your photos right on one of those lines, instead of in the center of the photo. For example, if you’re taking a photo of a landscape with a building in the scene, place the building in the top 1/3 of the frame, and fill the bottom 2/3’s with the foreground. Or if you’re taking a photo of a sunset on the ocean, shoot the scene so that the sky fills the top 2/3’s of the frame.

2. Don’t be afraid of a close-up - Sometimes you can create a very dramatic photo simply by filling the frame with part of an object. For example, if you are attending an antique car show, go ahead and photograph all the cars. But try for some dramatic photos by taking a full-frame shot of just a hood ornament. Or if you’re photographing a historic building, try capturing a tight shot of a unique architectural detail.

3. Try different vantage points - Most of our photos show the world from about 5 1/2 to 6 feet off the ground. For a more dramatic effort, try a different angle. Try photographing that antique car from the ground looking up - sort of a dog’s eye view. If you can find something to stand on, try shooting down for a bird’s eye view.

Changing your shooting angle can make a big difference in how the same scene looks. If you’re photographing a sunset over a lake, try taking a shot from almost water level. The waves will stand out clearly against the water.

Digital photo editing software like Photoshop allows you to reframe your photos. You can crop your existing pictures to make their impact stronger by applying the rule of thirds after the fact. You can also select a small detail in your larger photos to crop so that it fills the entire frame. However, digital photo editing software cannot help you much when it comes to camera angle. So when you take your next set of photos, remember the dog and the bird. Let your imagination run free, and you can separate your photos from the ordinary.

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Digital photography brings with it a whole new set of terms and abbreviations that requires getting used to if you’ve been using film cameras in the past. Many of the terms are totally unique to digital cameras and photography, and if you don’t understand them there is a good chance that you won’t be able to get the equipment that you really need for taking digital photographs. So let’s review some of the most important digital photography terms to help you understand them.

* Pixel - everything in digital photography actually begins with the pixel. Simply put, it is the very smallest part of a digitized image. You can think of it as a.dot that when combined with lots of other dots around it, makes up an entire photo image

* Resolution - this usually has to do with the total number of pixels in a photograph, and the higher the resolution, generally the sharper and better quality the picture is.

* Megapixel - this simply stands for one million pixels. The more pixels that make up a photograph, the higher the resolution and better quality the image will be. So a digital camera that takes a one megapixel image will usually not have anywhere near the image quality of a camera that takes a four or five megapixel image. And the differences become even greater when the photograph is enlarged.

* DPI - this stands for dots per inch and often applies to printers or monitors. For instance, most laser printers have a resolution of around 300 dpi, whereas most monitors display only 72 dpi. Photo quality inkjet printers usually come in at least 1200 dpi.

* Megabyte - this stands for an amount of computer memory that is somewhere around one million bytes of file storage.

* JPEG - this acronym stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group and is now a recognized format for the storage of images is in most digital cameras.The JPEG format allows for quite a bit of image and file compression, making files that are in this format much easier to display on the internet and send to others by e-mail. However, the kind of image compression that is used by the JPEG format can also cause some loss of image quality and so is not suitable for high quality prints.

* Memory card - all digital cameras have to store the digital files on some kind of removable media, and most often it involves the use of a small memory card. These cards come in various sizes depending on how much storage space they have available. A few digital cameras are also able to store files directly on CDs instead.

* LCD - this stands for Liquid Crystal Display, and these are usually found on most digital cameras to help the photographer preview the scene before taking the photograph, and then review that image later on after the photo was taken.

These are the digital photography terms that are most commonly used today, and understanding them will help you better select and use the digital equipment that you buy.

About the Author

You can find a digital photography tutorial and the digital photography basics by visiting our Digital Photography website.

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Depth of field (DOF) is probably a term you have heard used in photography often enough, but what does it really mean, and how can you use it to make your digital pictures better?

The term depth of field refers to how much of your picture is in sharp focus. For example, in portrait shots you will notice that the background is often blurred and soft looking, while the subject is clear and sharp. Pictures like this have a shallow depth of field.

You have probably also noticed that in landscape shots everything in the picture is often sharp and clear, all the way from the dead tree in the foreground to the mountains off in the distance. Pictures like this have a deep depth of field.

There are two main things that affect depth of field:

1.) The aperture (or F stop) setting–this refers to how wide the shutter opens.
2.) The focal length of the lens–this refers to how much the lens ?zooms in? your subject.

First we?ll take a look at the aperture settings. Most digital cameras have an aperture range of about F2.8 to F8, and this range usually compresses to about F4.5 to F8 when using full zoom. These aperture ranges vary somewhat from camera to camera, but we will use F2.8 to F8, with a full zoom range of F4.5 to F8, as our example.

At the lowest setting (F2.8), the object you focus on will be sharp, but objects in the background will appear softer and out of focus. At the highest setting (F8), everything from the foreground of your picture to the objects off in the distance will appear sharp and in focus.

Now the focal length–we?ll use a digital camera with a 4 times zoom (35mm to 140mm focal length) as our example. At the 35mm end of your zoom range (no zoom), pretty much everything in your pictures will appear in focus. However, at the 140mm end of your zoom range (full zoom), only the object you focus on will appear sharp.

So how does all this translate into making better pictures with your digital camera? Well, it?s like this:

Set your camera to ?aperture priority?. Your camera?s manual will have simple directions on how to do this (it?s quite often just a matter of turning the dial on top). Once you have your camera on ?aperture priority?, you will be able to select the aperture setting that you want, and the camera automatically chooses the correct shutter speed.

If you want to take a picture where only your subject is in focus (like a portrait for example), first, zoom in rather than get close, and second, choose an aperture setting with the lowest number possible, in this case F4.5.

If you want to take a picture where the whole scene is in focus (like a landscape for example), first, zoom in very little or not at all, and second, choose an aperture setting at or near the highest number possible, in this case F8.

So, don?t be shy, take your camera off of ?auto? and try the ?aperture priority? setting–you?ll be glad you did.

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